New Academy Award Categories.

As I stated in yesterday's post, the Academy Awards could use some improvement. I have made a list of categories that I believe the Oscars should add due to the exclusion of certain films and genres. Although it highly unlikely that any of these categories will ever be added, these are the ones that I would add. Also I am trying to be mostly realistic with my ideas for Awards, because something like "Best Comic Book Film" will never happen. The Oscars were last night and not surprisingly, Argo won for Best Picture. Skyfall won Best Song and tied with Zero Dark Thirty for Best Sound Editing. Brave unfortunately won for Best Animated Feature. If you want to see the winners, click here to check out the list.

Ensemble/Best Cast

Lord of the Rings Cast

Often times in films with large casts were there is not a single actor that can be distinguished in a "Leading Role", the actors are snubbed from the awards. The Lord of the Rings trilogy, for example, had many actors who should have been nominated for their performances but did not because it is difficult to define who was in the "Leading Role" or "Supporting Role". Sean Astin in the Return of the King should have easily won Best Actor for his amazing performance or Viggo Mortensen for any of the movie should have at least been nominated. Inception would be another example, the cast was fantastic, One of the Best of All-Time! While it would be unlikely even if the category was added, The Avengers had the strongest cast of the 2012 with the many A-list actors in one film. It is surprising that the award has not already been added because the Screen Actors Guild already gives an award for "Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture". 

Best Science-Fiction/Fantasy Film

As I stated in yesterday's post, the Academy has a tendency to snub any Science-Fiction film because the genre has never once won the award for Best Picture! Even though there have been many candidates for the award that probably should have won, except for the fact that it was Science-Fiction. Fantasy, on the other hand, has broken the barrier with The Return of the King rightfully winning Best Picture in 2003. If the category was added, it would include comic book films as well as sci-fi and fantasy, since comic book films usually have qualities of either genre. The Academy Award have a category for "Best Animated Feature", so why is it too far of a stretch for sci-fi and fantasy films to be recognized for their brilliance. Therefore, The Avengers, The Hobbit, and The Dark Knight Rises would all be given a shot for an award. 

Best Comedy/Musical

Although it is not my idea or one that I really want the Academy to add, there have been other critics who want a category like this to be added. It would seem like an obvious choice since the Golden Globes already have this category in their awards.

Best Fight Choreography

This is my current desktop background.

OK, this is entirely unrealistic but Fight Choreography and action directing is just as much an art form as any other aspect of film. For example, the films, "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" and "The Matrix" had amazing fight choreographers and the films directors and choreographers should be duly recognized for their skill and execution. In 2012, The Avengers would easily take the win for its incredible battles scenes that rival anything that has come before or since. Joss Whedon never resorted to cheap techniques like dark lighting or shaky-cam that far too many movies use today. Also Best Stunt Work would be another similar category.

I want to emphasize that the likelihood of any of these categories ever being added are slim to none, but they are the ones I would want to see. What awards to you think should be added to the Academy Awards? Do you agree or disagree with my ideas? Please comment below.

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